Debs.

I once read that the Watchtower was/is the most widely published printed-tract on the planet; with greater than 43 million copies per issue and in 220 languages. .......one might only imagine the global printing and distribution costs which their paper Witnessing incurs. Edit: Having checked, it`s now >46 million printed-copies per month!

The 'Flyback' transformer........... ..........the name seems more appropriate having read the previous posts!

All wight, we get the message! .............anyway; I always thought that: "No Man is an Island!"

No doubt, should anyone have noticed the unfortunate hue of your underpinnings, they`d have commented: "See, your Mum was right: It does make it sore!"

So, that`s where the car`s travel-rug went to! It`s enough to turn a girl "hare-less"

Robbie is the official E.R`s mud-magnet!

Hello Alfie....aren`t you gorgeous!

The Aye`s have it!

Amusing campaigns: I remember seeing this on a workshop wall (years ago): ....and this, seen today; promulgating Prostate screening:

I used an HDR technique of combining the bracketed exposure of multiple/sequential images which yield more detail than 'normal' images; one of the artifacts is that sometimes a halo presents itself around certain subjects; which some photographers find unpleasant.........I rather like it when it occurs and more often leave it be. This image of 'Metheny' reveals the detail that may be rendered by the HDR process....(this is a shrunken/sample version of the original composite HDR image, which is >18 Mb. in size and hence too large a file to post herewith).

I`m friends with Collies; does that make me a Collier?

They must be a pair of Contras ..........always look nice when worn with a Sandinista!

That is a rhetorical question, isn`t it?

Oddly enough, photo voltaic solar arrays don`t like to be too hot, nor too cold; the output efficiency plummets above (or below) the thermo-specific chart-curve.......so ironically, a 'real-world' {albeit diminished maximum} output may actually occur whilst in partial shade (due to lessened panel-surface temperatures). There are now water-cooled and/or warmed.........yes; you end up paying to heat them in cool weather! ..........P.V panels which address the thermal inefficiency issue.....but it all rather gets away from the marketeer`s suggested {and potential-customer`s imagined} 'something for nothing' simplicity. My friend`s large '6Kw.'. P.V array, has never once produced more than 2.1Kw. and even then only briefly; at the solar zenith of mid-Summer........It`s emerged that thermal losses, conversion losses and living at 53 degrees North are all to blame.......but non were ever mentioned during the overly optimistic, grant-fuelled selling frenzy. Domestic solar energy is a hot bed snake-oil vendors and unsubstantiable claims...... still very much a place for the buyer to be aware.

I do wonder about such folk at times!.........Having helped organise a {by comparison: teenie-weenie} public event; the amount of money, planning, paperwork and practical-effort (in concert) that goes into correctly staging a show is amazing; especially so, for one catering for as broad a base of gauge/scale interests as RM-web live. As has proven to be the case for other craft-hobbies; "band together now to support your {our} hobby, or it simply wont survive into the future!"........Such support can be 'in the spirit' or from the wallet; but support it we surely must. P.S I`m one of those visitors to M.R shows that seeks out a member of the organising committee before I leave, to thank them for their efforts and hospitality.......If you haven`t tried it yourself, give it a go: you`ll surely be overjoyed with their appreciative reaction.

Safe journey, Mick.

Thank you, Pete............Over the years; I`ve come to know that some folks consider the notion of animals {also} having a soul, to be rather offensive; but, to know that we humans and our animal-friends; hold {spiritual} hands as we walk on our shared journey together, is something I personally find very comforting.

Sickened beyond words about the many little-souls deliberately burned alive by a teenage arsonist at Manchester dog`s home last night...........but, the brave, generous and caring support shown by the local community`s folk has given great hopefulness in the face of such an individual`s wickedness.

Our local show ......looking forward to seeing C.Q again!

Hello Archie! ..........Bonnie chap you are.

Not much railway modelling to share with you all, lately but have at least been busy in the workshop: The ER25 to MT3 collet and holder set (x6) is now complete: their trip away for Nitriding has blackened the home-machined bodies/shanks; the castellated-nuts were purchased, as it was discovered `they simply couldn`t be made for the price of a set of Chinese manufacture........Having 6 may seem excessive, but it enables collet mounted tools to be quickly changed without interfering with the CNC`s Z axis positional reference. Machined an adaptor plate for the 4 jaw independent lathe-chuck, so as to be able mount it on the CNC rotary table. Bit adventurous this one!............Machined an auxiliary mill head mounting in "alinumnum" to accommodate a supplemental high speed (24,000 rpm) water cooled spindle, to enable the proper use of teenie-weenie diameter carbide cutters.......although the water-cooling pipes/pump/tank are yet to be plumbed, the spindle`s 440 V variable freq. solid-state inverter does work very well indeed: providing quiet, full torque from almost zero rpm, right up to stupidly fast! The lozenge shaped block at the fore, is a diamond drag-head to be used for for precision CNC engraving. Too early for much mention of Christmas...but Santa has delivered-early to us here at Collie Towers........a Kaiser microstop/self-advancing boring head; whole arms and legs would have been willingly given to purchase this super-precision item when new......Thanks to the kindness of a friend; I can now love and cherish it forever!

Not that many Americans would wish to share much else in common with a nation of "garlic-eating surrender-jockeys" .......as one of my Californian former-colleagues regularly described them.

Hence the old expression: "I`ll give you a ring.....later!" It`s gorgeous....`great choice!

Trains! ......... ........... ............

Did they bring you coffee and toast?